A forum for political discourse with a bent to the growing absurdity of it all; to watch and comment on issues in Saskatoon and the performance of elected officials and those who serve them. Easy armchair politics.
"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." - Cyril Connolly

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

What a sham!

Well, we have the preliminary report on the operating costs of the Remai Art Gallery and it appears that we will require an addition $1.5 million annually from the taxpayers in order to avoid admission fees - at least at the beginning.

What perplexes me is why the city would budget $750,000 for the bridge and road repair reserve for 2012 and 2013 and then plan to shuffle this money over to the the art gallery for operating costs in 2015 (SP Mar. 7/12.)

I expect taxes will need to be raised to cover bridge and road repairs in the future, but it won't have to raise taxes for the new gallery (LOL.)

3 comments:

No one ran these numbers because the decision was made to move. However, an expanded Mendel would not have included thousand of square feet for meetings rooms,reception space and the like. Nor would it have rquired a general manager for the building as well as an art gallery director. And we would not have been building underground parking.

first point - there is no 'expanded mendel' model. while they did a study and a plan, there was no money to move forward - so it doesn't exist. so you can all talk all you want about a dream of 'the past' - but that would just be fantasy. reality is a much better place to be.... for most of us.

second - the underground parking facility was agreed to when persephone theatre was built - it was part of the agreement with persephone, that parking would be built when another building was being built. it's not exclusive to the gallery.

third - connecting bridge and road repair reserves to a new gallery is just silly. the city budget is made up of lots of money - all of which reflects the interests of the people of the city - and make it a place we want to be. to suggest that bridge and road repairs are being neglected because of building a new gallery is a pretty lame argument.

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About Me

I am Elaine. I'm a political junkie. I've been on the front line, now I'm on the sideline. I am no longer married to politics, but I'm still its mistress. I know its likes, its dislikes and its dirty little secrets.
I've been a door knocker, organizer, candidate, school board trustee, city councillor, and now a civic mistress.
Great moments in my career:
*after 12 years on the Saskatoon Public School Board, left with a touch of sanity;
*three times elected chair (and so far the first and only female holding that office);
*helped prevent the building a mega million dollar white elephant for central office and in lieu re-adapted a beautiful historic building in downtown Saskatoon.
Political Philosophy: Hey, those are my tax dollars your spending.